R.Smg. Archimede

1940
At the beginning of the conflict, the submarine Archimede was assigned to the Italian naval base of Massaua, in Italian East Africa. The vessel, under the command of T.V. Signorini, was assigned to the first war patrol off the French colony of Djibouti. The boat left Massaua on June 19th to conduct the operation along with the costal submarine Perla. Even before the declaration of war, the vessel had experienced problems with the air conditioning system, and the assignment to this unscheduled mission caused repair work to be halted. With the mission underway, and within less than a day from departure, some of the crewmembers began experiencing illnesses; these would turn out to be similar to the ones experienced by the crews of the Perla and the Macallè. It is not known what the crew did to remedy the situation; perhaps they began using the air conditioning system less and less, but by the fourth day the apparatus had to be shut down. Several men, including two officers, experienced heat stokes, while in general more and more began showing symptoms of poisoning. Depression and loss of conscience were soon followed by loss of appetite, maniacal behaviors, euphoria, hallucinations, and finally a destructive and homicidal frenzy.

In the late afternoon of the 23rd, the captain seriously considered aborting the mission when orders from the naval command moved the boat 50 miles further to the southeast. During the fatal night, four sailors lost their lives and the captain had no option but to seek refuge in the port of Assab where the vessel arrived at 8:30 AM on the 26th. Immediately after, Massaua sent the necessary replacements, including the captain and the chief engineer. The Archimede left Assab on the 3rd of July under the command of [C.C.] Lieutenant Commander Piomarta to return to Massaua where, finally, the methylchlorid (CH3Cl) was replaced with the much safer Freon. On August 31st, the vessel was once again ready to take to the sea.

During this period, Rome intercepted a British signal giving indication that a large convoy of 20 ships would be leaving Bombay to reach the Red Sea. Admiral Balsano, the commander of the Naval forces in Massaua, ordered all available units to sea, but the Archimede was not ready; this mission would be assigned to the Ferraris and the Guglielmotti. Opportunities for the Archimede came in September when the boat, along with the Guglielmotti and a group of destroyers, was assigned to patrol. During this mission the Archimede was assigned to an area between Gabel Tair and the 19th parallel north.

1941
As should have been expected, Italian East Africa (AOI) was quickly collapsing under the thrust of British forces from Kenya from the south and the Sudan from the north. Without any possibility to receive reinforcements from the motherland, the Italian forces where destined to surrender. Expecting the fall of the naval base, the local command began working on various escape plans. One called for the Archimede to reach Kobe, in Japan, and conduct offensive actions against the enemy traffic along the route. Eventually, only surface ships were sent to Japan, while the remaining submarines were sent around Africa to the submarine base of Bordeaux, in France. The Perla, a smaller unit, left on the 1st of March, the Ferraris and Archimede followed on the 3rd, and the Guglielmotti on the 4th.

Despite the loss of four boats, the morale of the submarine personnel in
Italian East Africa remained good, but physical conditions were rapidly deteriorating due to the high temperatures and debilitating humidity. The submarines ordered to Bordeaux ventured south through the Gulf of Perim, a narrowing highly patrolled by British surface units and aircrafts. The Archimede (C.C. Salvatori), the Ferraris (C.C. Piomarta), the Guglielmotti (C.F. Spagone), and the little Perla (T.V. Napp) took different routes. The larger vessels navigated between Mozambique and Madagascar, while the Perla opted to take a route east of the island. The Archimede, as well as the other submarines, received diesel fuel from the German tanker Northmark and continued the long journey without any major incident. The transfer totaled over 12,700 miles of which only less than 65 were completed while submerged, and required 65 days. The mission was completed in the utmost secrecy, but once the boats reached Bordeaux, Italian newspapers gave great coverage to the event.

After several months in port for the necessary repairs and refitting, the Archimede was once again ready for action. Still under the command of C.C. Marino Salvatori, the boat was sent along with the Cappellini to patrol the Iberian coast, while other boats covered a relatively large sector between Gibraltar and the Azores Islands. This operation, which took the boat near Cape Finisterre and Cape San Vincenzo, did not produce results, mostly due to the complete absence of enemy shipping, but caused the loss of the Baracca , and the Malaspina.

Following this mission, the Archimede was ordered back to the Mediterranean. Still under C.C. Salvatori, the Archimede left Bordeaux and reached the Strait of Gibraltar where, on October 23rd, 1941 it was ordered to attack a convoy. Thereafter, the transfer order was rescinded, and the boat remained with Betasom for the remainder of its operational life. During this mission, the Archimede and the Marconi sought the convoy signaled by their command, and the latter was able to make contact on October 26th. Two days later the Marconi sent the last signal, and then all traces of the vessel were lost. Eventually, 48 hours later, the Archimede interrupted the search for this convoy and returned to base. Also lost during this mission was the submarine Ferraris, which had succumbed to the destroyer H.M.S. Lamerton after an unequal fight with the deck gun.

1942
After a long refitting period, the Archimede was transferred to the command of T.V. Gianfranco Gazzana Prioroggia, the Italian submarine commander who would achieve the greatest total tonnage sunk and second only to Carlo Fecia di Cossato for the total number of sinkings. The subsequent mission took the Archimede off the coast of Brazil.
Departure took place between the end of April and the beginning of May, and the boat reached the assigned area on May 23rd; three days after the Bagnolini, the same day as the Cappellini and almost a week after the Barbarigo, which would be involved in the famous affair of the first mysterious sinking of an American battleship. During the transfer, on May 13th, the Archimede intercepted a signal from the Bagnolini north of Cereà (Brazil), but could not locate the vessel previously spotted. Upon reaching the final area, the Archimede intercepted in position 2º10’S, 35º55’’W a cargo ship ablaze escorted by surface units, thought to be destroyers of the “Maury” or “Somers” classes. In reality, it was the destroyer Moffett of the ‘Porter’ class. Captain Gazzana Priaroggia fired two torpedoes and heard two explosions, but it appears that the weapons never reached their target. Soon after, he was the object of a prolonged hunt. He wrote :

As a result of these attacks, the Archimede began leaking diesel fuel from the hull, making it easy to spot. Betasom relocated the Archimede further north, where a new sighting could not be followed by a pursuit. Eventually, the boat used up all the fuel reserve available and began the return voyage, but on the 15th it intercepted and attacked the American ‘Colombian’, a ship of 4,954 tons, which avoided the torpedoes. The same day, the Archimede had intercepted and sunk another ship, the 5,586 t. Panamanian freighter ‘Cardina’. The ship was in service to the United States, and the U.S. Merchant Marine did not report any casualty. Continuing on, on June 27, while near the Azores, the Archimede intercepted a large convoy escorted by several surface units that could not be attacked due to the distance and direction of the ships. The boat returned to base in Bordeaux on July 4th after another long but not fruitless mission.

The following mission took place in the month of October. The Archimede, now under the command of T.V. Guido Saccardo, was tasked with refueling the Cappellini at sea, off the African coast. The boat left base on September 15th along with the Bagnolini. The original plan called for the vessel to reach Freetown, but B.d.U. had U-Boats already operating in the area, so Betasom was asked to delay its vessels. Due to great delay accumulated, the original plan to have the Archimede refuel the Bagnolini was abandoned and the vessel was freed to conduct offensive patrol. On October 8th, the boat reached a new area and the same day it intercepted the ‘Oronsay’, a large British passenger ship of 20,043 t. This ship belonged to the ‘Orient Steam Navigation Co, Ltd’ of London and was built in 1925 by the shipyard ‘John Brown & Co.’ of Clydebank. Capable of transporting 592 passengers, it was being used as a troopship. Of the people on board, 5 lost their lives, 26 were captured as P.O.W.s, and the remaining 412 survived. The sinking was given in position 4º 08’ N, 20º 57’ W by the Italian authorities, and 4º 29’ N, 20º 52’ W by the British.

A few hours later, the Archimede attacked the 16,991 t. Greek passenger ship ‘T.S.S. Nea Hellas’, formerly known as the ‘Tuscania’, a British ship of the ‘Anchor Line” of London. This famous ship, affectionately known as the 'Nelly Wallace' by Allied troops, was in service to the Allies and was not returned to Greece until 1947.

It is not known if the Nea Hellas (New Greece) was hit by one of the torpedoes launched; it appears that it was, but eventually it was able to run away and avoid sinking. After continuing patrolling this area until the 19th, the Archimede was later repositioned south of the Capo Verde Islands, and area which it occupied until the end of the month. Having failed to intercept any traffic, it returned to base reaching Bordeaux on November 17th.

1943
The following and last mission took the vessel back to the waters off the Brazilian coast. The Archimede, still under the command of T.V. Guido Saccardo, left Le Verdon on February 26th, 1943 with general instructions to reach the area off Pernambuco, Brazil. The original operational plan called for the submarine to leave the area when the diesel fuel reserve was down to about 70 t., and then receive additional fuel from an Italian or German submarine. Eventually, with the extra fuel the boat would have been able to reach Rio de Janeiro, but the plan was called off. Instead of venturing south to the 23rd parallel, the Archimede remained north of the 20th. On the 10th of April the Archimede sent the last signal informing base of his position, given at 16º 45’S, 37º 30’ W, and also informing the Italian command that it had only 61 t. of diesel fuel left. At that point, the Archimede was given the coordinates for meeting a German submarine from which it would have received enough fuel to return to base. At 2:00 AM on the 15th, an airplane intercepted the Archimede, but due to technical difficulties of anspecified nature, the submarine could not submerge. The first plane, a spotter, called two more to the scene.

They were aircraft from the 93rd Patrol Squadron (They belonged to the U.S. Navy Patrol and were part of VP-83, which was also credited with the sinking of U-164 and U-507). The first aircraft , a PBY-5A Catalina piloted by Ensign T. E. Robertson, attacked in position 03°23'S, 30°28'W. Robertson made the first bomb run, dropping four depth charges from about 650 meters, and possibly damaged the boat. The second Catalina, piloted by Lieutenant G. Bradford, Jr., attacked minutes later, dropping four more depth charges from an altitude of 50 feet, which centered the vessel, breaking it into two sections which rapidly disappeared into the sea. About 20 crewmembers were able to survive and the American aircraft dropped three rubber craft. On May 27th, 27 days into an unimaginable ordeal, Brazilian fishermen found one of the original rubber crafts with three sailors; two already dead and one near expiring. After a long period of recovery, the only survivor, Giuseppe Lococo , was transferred to a POW camp in the United States. Only at the end of the conflict would Italian authorities receive detailed news of the loss of the Archimede and the terrible ordeal of its only survivor.

The Archimede upon its arrival in Bordeaux.

The long journey of the Italian submarines from East Africa to Bordeaux, France.

Admiral Parona, the head of Betasom, congratulates Commander Marino.

 Oronsay, the 20.043 t.s.l. liner sunk by the Archimede.

T.S.S. Nea Hellas

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The Sinking of the Archimede.

February 16th - On This Date - USN Submarine Submarine

1918 - 

 PCU M-1 (SS-47) commissioned USS M-1 at Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, MA; Lt. Cmdr. M. R. Pierce commanding.

1925 - 

CU S-44 (SS-155) commissioned USS S-44 (SS-155) at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, MA; Lt. A. H. Bateman commanding.

1942 - 

 PCU PUFFER (SS-268) keel laid as PUFFER at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI.

1943 - 

 USS AMBERJACK (SS-219) was lost off Rabaul in the S.W. Pacific. On 8 February, AMBERJACK was ordered to move to the West Side of Ganongga Island and on the 10th, she was directed to keep south of Latitude 7°30‘S and to cover the traffic routes from Rabaul and Buka to Shortland Basin. On 13 February AMBERJACK was assigned the entire Rabaul - Buka-Shortland Sea area, and told to hunt for traffic.

The last radio transmission received from AMBERJACK was made on 14 February 1943. She related having been forced down the night before by two destroyers, and that she had recovered from the water and taken prisoner an enemy aviator on 13 February. She was ordered north of Latitude 6°30‘S, and told to keep hunting for Rabaul traffic.

Any further discussion about her demise is pure conjecture.

Seventy-three men were lost with AMBERJACK that day.

She was the tenth U.S. submarine loss of World War II.

1944 -  

PCU BERGALL (SS-320) launched at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT; sponsored by Mrs. J. A. Elkins.

1958 - 

USS GUAVINA (AOSS-362), Submarine Oiler, ran aground in high winds and foul weather after dragging her anchor at San Salvador, El Salvador.

1973 - T

The Secretary of the Navy announced Bangor, Washington as the initial base for Trident submarine operations.

1973 - 

Ex-X-1 (SSX-1) stricken, to be disposed of by Navy sale.

1975 - USS SWORDFISH (SSN-579) ran aground near Lanai, HI, while conducting post-overhaul trials. The submarine surfaced safely and returned to Pearl Harbor for inspection and repair. The Navy said the submarine damaged sensor devices mounted on her hull, but there were no breaks in the hull. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, however, received reports that a torpedo room flooded. The Navy denies this.

1996 - 

PCU GREENEVILLE (SSN-772) commissioned USS GREENEVILLE (SSN-772) at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, Newport News, VA.

1994 - 

 Rear Admiral Richard Hetherington O'Kane died of pneumonia at a nursing home in Petaluma, California. He was 83. He retired in 1957, and won the Medal of Honor for valor as commander of USS TANG (SS-306) in the South Pacific. TANG sank a Japanese ship every 11 days on five patrols and rescued scores of U.S. fliers who had been shot down in raids on Japanese ships and bases. During one patrol in Formosa Strait on October 24-25, 1944, TANG sank 110,000 tons of Japanese shipping, including a destroyer. The submarine then fell victim to her 24th and last torpedo when it malfunctioned, circled back and hit TANG, killing all but 9 of her 87 man crew.

USS ARGONAUT (SS-168) was sunk four months after O'Kane left to become executive officer of USS WAHOO (SS-238). That vessel, too, was sunk after O'Kane left to command his own submarine, TANG.

TANG sank 33 ships total - more than any other American submarine - before O'Kane's luck ran out.

The commander and other survivors were taken prisoner and spent the last ten months of the war in a prison near Tokyo, where they were subjected to beatings and a starvation diet. He weighed only 88 pounds when he was released from the Japanese prison camp.

Citation:

 For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. TANG operating against 2 enemy Japanese convoys on 23 and 24 October 1944, during her fifth and last war patrol.

Boldly maneuvering on the surface into the midst of a heavily escorted convoy, Commander O'Kane stood in the fusillade of bullets and shells from all directions to launch smashing hits on 3 tankers, coolly swung his ship to fire at a freighter and, in a split-second decision, shot out of the path of an onrushing transport, missing it by inches. Boxed in by blazing tankers, a freighter, transport, and several destroyers, he blasted 2 of the tagets with his remaining torpedoes and, with pyrotechnics bursting on all sides, cleared the area.

Twenty-four hours later, he again made contact with a heavily escorted convoy steaming to support the Leyte campaign with reinforcements and supplies and with crated planes piled high on each unit. In defiance of the enemy's relentless fire, he closed the concentration of ship and in quick succession sent 2 torpedoes each into the first and second transports and an adjacent tanker, finding his mark with each torpedo in a series of violent explosions at less than 1,000-yard range. With ships bearing down from all sides, he charged the enemy at high speed, exploding the tanker in a burst of flame, smashing the transport dead in the water, and blasting the destroyer with a mighty roar which rocked TANG from stem to stern. Expending his last 2 torpedoes into the remnants of a once powerful convoy before his own ship went down, Comdr. O'Kane, aided by his gallant command, achieved an illustrious record of heroism in combat, enhancing the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

After the war, he was promoted to Captain and commanded the Submarine School in New London, CT, before retiring as a Rear Admiral and settling in California. In retirement, he wrote two books about his war experiences: "Clear the Bridge" in 1977 and "Wahoo" in 1987. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1934.

He is survived by wife, Ernestine, whom he married in 1936 and who lives in Petaluma. February 2, 1911-February 16, 1994. O'Kane did not talk much about the war, including the 10 months he spent in Japanese prison camps, she said. "The hardest thing for him the rest of his life was that he came home and his men didn't,'' Mrs. O'Kane said.

Mrs. O'Kane said she considered her husband a homebody, the father of her children, a man who knew how to cook. She said he did not have much interest in the medals and honors that befell him after the war.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 59, Grave 874.

2006 - 

The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS ANNAPOLIS (SSN-760) made a routine port visit to Souda Bay, Crete, Greece. ANNAPOLIS was assigned to Commander Submarine Group Two, homeported in Groton, CT. ANNAPOLIS was on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

2006 -  

Chief of Staff for Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet (SUBLANT), Capt. John Daugherty, visited the fast-attack submarine USS MONTPELIER (SSN-765) at Norfolk, VA to observe the successful testing of the AN/BYG-1 Combat Control Systems.

MONTPELIER performed in-port tests for the new fire control and sonar system. At-sea testing with Tactical Tomahawk final up evaluation is scheduled for March.

MONTPELIER is one of four submarines in the fleet that have received the AN/BYG-1 modernization. USS BOISE (SSN-764) completed the first operational test launch of a Blk. IV Tactical Tomahawk missile using the AN/BYG-1. Both USS HAMPTON (SSN-767) and USS CONNECTICUT (SSN-21) have also received this modernization.

COB

February 16th - On This Date - RN Submarine Submarine

1938	Triumph	Submarine HMS Triumph launched
1938	Unity	Submarine HMS Unity launched
1938	Ursula	Submarine HMS Ursula launched
1942	Saracen	Submarine HMS Saracen launched
1942	Unrivalled	Submarine HMS Unrivalled launched
1991	Triumph	Submarine HMS Triumph launched
1992	Vigilant	Submarine HMS Vigilant laid down
1905	HMS A5	A5 experienced an internal petrol explosion shortly after refuelling from the depot ship HMS Hazard berthed in Queenstown, County Cork. The cause of the explosion was petrol fumes being ignited by a spark from the Main Motor Brushes.
1942	HMS Thrasher	On February 16th, in daylight, HM Submarine Thrasher attacked and sank a heavily escorted supply ship she was at once attacked by depth-charges and was bombed by aircraft. The presence of two unexploded bombs in the gun-casing was discovered when after dark the submarine surfaced and began to roll. Lieutenant Roberts and Petty Officer Gould volunteered to remove the bombs, which were of a type unknown to them for which they each received the VC.
1942	Unrivalled	While operating south of Punta Stilo HMS Unrivalled torpedoes and sinks the Italian sailing vessel Sparviero and the Italian merchant Pasubio.
1945	HMS Thorough	HMS Thorough sinks three Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

SAB

February 16th - On This Date - Royal Australian Navy

1863

The Admiralty offered the NSW Government the 3rd Rate Ship of the Line, HMS BRUNSWICK, as a training ship for the New South Wales Naval Brigade. The offer was conditional on the Government paying the cost of iron cladding the vessel. The offer was declined.

1882

The Melbourne Age claimed the visit of ADML Aslanbegoff's squadron to Australia was directly associated with the threatened war between Britain and Russia and their presence was for the purpose of raiding British commerce.

1936

HMAS AUSTRALIA, (cruiser), exercised with 'Queen Bees', unmanned radio-controlled Moth aircraft, in the Mediterranean. HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and SHROPSHIRE, (cruisers), exercised together for the first time off Alexandria, Egypt.

1942

The cruiser, HMAS HOBART, (CAPT H. L. Howden, RAN), was attacked by 109 Japanese aircraft in 13 attacks in the Dutch East Indies. HOBART escaped. The Island of Singapore was surrendered to the Japanese. After a campaign lasting only 70 days, the Japanese overran Malaya and Singapore, and some 22,000 Australian soldiers were made POW's. Most of the RAN ships and personnel involved in the campaign managed to escape, however, a small number of men left behind in hospital in Singapore were captured and subsequently executed by the Japanese. An Allied convoy of four ships, escorted by HMA Ships WARREGO and SWAN, (sloops), and US Ships HOUSTON, (cruiser), and PEARY, (destroyer), left Darwin for Koepang, Timor, carrying Australian infantry and American artillery units.

1944

The Fremantle-based USS ASPRO, (submarine), sank the Japanese submarine I-43 off Truk.

1952

Commissioned ships of the RAN fired a salute of 56 guns on the occasion of the funeral of King George VI.

1963

HMAS QUADRANT, (frigate), was sold out of service for breaking up in Japan.

1972

HMAS BARCOO, (River class frigate), was sold out of service for breaking up in Taiwan. HMA Ships QUIBERON and QUICKMATCH, (frigates), were sold to the Fujita Salvage Company of Japan for scrapping.

1985

HMAS KIMBLA, (oceanographic research vessel), was paid off for disposal. It was later announced the ship would be presented to the Maritime Trust of Australia, however this plan never eventuated.

1992

The FFG-7, (Adelaide), class guided missile frigate HMAS MELBOURNE, (CMDR A. G. Johnston, RAN), was commissioned at Melbourne. MELBOURNE was laid down in AMECON Williamstown Dockyard, Melbourne, and launched on 5 May 1989. Mrs Hazel Hawke, (Wife of the Prime Minister, Robert J. Hawke), performed the launching ceremony.

'On This Day' is based on the book "Navy Day by Day: Historic Naval Events in Australia and Abroad" written by the late Lew Lind.

Argentine Media - Gov't accepts UN mediation offer over Malvinas dispute

Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman.

Through a letter sent to United Nations (UN) General Assembly President, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, Argentina announced that it had accepted the organization's mediation offer to find a pacific solution to the Malvinas sovereignty conflict with the United Kingdom.

Timerman’s letter also said thanked the international organization’s “good disposition to coordinate a peaceful solution in our country and the United Kingdom in the Malvinas sovereignty matter.”

“Argentina accepts all initiatives and suggestions” that may help solve the conflict “with great interest and attention, and requests that Argentina’s position on the matter is communicated to the United Kingdom,” the letter concludes.

The letter, sent to the UN by Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman, stated that “Argentina had reiterated on multiple occasions their openness to resume said negotiations but it is faced with persistent negativity from Britain.”

Problems in Argentina ! Reason Seven - Why Argentine Governtment claims the Falklands like the Junta did

CGT condemns police 'repression' on former soldiers

 CGT labour confederation leader Hugo Moyano.

In a written statement signed by CGT labour confederation leader Hugo Moyano, the organization condemned the police “repression” against former soldiers who were asking to be recognized as veterans of the Malvinas War, and wondered “whether something is changing in Argentina.”

“Without discussing the details of their protest, the CGT is concerned by this apparent change in policy, which used to be inherent to the City Government and its policy of repression against the homeless or the eviction of street peddlers by the Metropolitan Police,” the organization said in a written statement that is also signed by Human Rights secretary Julio Piumato.

“This new incident joins others such as the repression against the teamsters in Chubut and the repression against the citizens of Catamarca who were protesting against the mining projects,” and it is “at odds with the respect for Human Rights and the policies enacted by the National Government since 2003,” the text added.

“Therefore, the CGT condemns the incidents and expresses its concern over an escalation that we hope doesn’t mean a change in the policies of persuasion and unrestricted respect for Human Rights that we hope continues to be state policy,” it continued.

The recent statement widens the distance between the National Government and the CGT, which had earlier criticized national lawmakers over their sudden salary hike.

IRAN - Daily Crap from the State that sponsors Terrorism - Iran: Canada’s claims not worth response

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says Canadian foreign affairs minister’s recent anti-Iran claims are “not worth responding to.”

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird recently said that Iran was pursuing military purposes in its nuclear program and also suggested that a scenario similar to the one, which happened in Libya would happen in Iran.

“Our evaluation so far is that these remarks do not meet the least diplomatic standards and are thus not worth a response,” Mehmanparast stated on Tuesday.

“The Canadian government actually sees itself as the guardian of the failed legacy of the US neocons. Therefore, adoption of such stances by Canadian officials is no wonder to us,” he added.

He noted that many Canadian intellectuals and politicians had rejected Baird’s allegations and questioned the credibility of the ‘hilarious’ remarks regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

“Mr. Baird must directly clarify that…based on what reasons he, with such certainty, made the hilarious claim of production of nuclear weapons by Iran,” Mehmanparast said, reminding constant monitoring of Iran’s nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the agency’s reports of no deviation in the Iranian nuclear program.

Regarding the Iran-Libya analogy, Mehmanparast said that Baird’s remarks proved that the Canadian minister was lacking in information on the recent developments in the region.

“We advise that Mr. Baird read more about the issues in the region and avoid repeating remarks, which bring disgrace for the Canadian government in the [world’s] public opinion and among Canadian intellectuals,” he said.

The Iranian official also dismissed the minister's allegation against Tehran of human rights violations and blamed Ottawa for committing ‘systematic’ human rights violation against Canada’s indigenous citizens as well as for the crimes committed by Canadian troopers against the people of Afghanistan.